Furniture Made With Perennial Wood Rivals Teak

KINGSPORT, TENN. — In conjunction with the launch of Perennial Wood™ at the International Builders’ Show last week, Eastman announced the availability of Perennial Wood for use furniture manufacturers in their outdoor furniture lines. Perennial Wood is real wood, with real character. It’s been modified with TruLast™ technology to stand up to the elements, resisting changes from moisture and remaining dimensionally stable for decades. It offers furniture manufacturers a long-lasting attractive, U.S.-sourced wood for their casual and outdoor furniture lines.

“Perfect for outdoor furniture applications, Perennial Wood stands up to nature’s damaging effects without compromising the beauty and character of the wood,” said Brant Mitchell, market development manager for Perennial Wood furniture. “According to third-party tests, Perennial Wood stays truer-to-form than teak when subjected to the elements, demonstrating greater dimensional stability. This will appeal to both manufacturers and consumers.”

Perennial Wood is real wood. It is not an artificial composite, nor is it molded from plastic or pressure treated with heavy metals. It cuts, mills and works just like wood, because it is wood, meaning manufacturers won’t need special tools or machines to work with Perennial Wood. Because it has 25 percent greater surface hardness, and is three times more resistant to shrinking and swelling than unmodified wood, furniture made with Perennial Wood will hold its shape and stand the test of time.

Eastman is now accepting inquiries from furniture manufacturers interested in incorporating Perennial Wood into their outdoor furniture offerings. Inquiries may be directed to info@PerennialWood.com. The company is currently collaborating with award-winning designer Eric Pfeiffer to create furniture collections specifically designed to exhibit the wood’s beauty, durability and function. Eastman and Pfeiffer will be working with selected manufacturers to produce the collections, which they expect to be available to retailers in the fall of 2012.

TruLast Technology

Perennial Wood is made possible by TruLast Technology, which uses heat, pressure and an organic compound to permanently transform the wood’s cellular structure. In the process, water-loving (hydrophilic) groups in the wood’s cells are replaced with water-hating (hydrophobic) groups. TruLast Technology modifies the wood, providing a physical barrier throughout that is warranted to protect against rot, decay and movement for 25 years.

Coatings

Perennial Wood can be coated with traditional wood coating systems. Because it is a dimensionally stable substrate, improved performance has been noted with some opaque coatings systems. Eastman can provide furniture manufacturers with technical assistance in recommending, testing and applying specific coatings. Because coatings vary, furniture manufacturers will determine applicable warranties.

Sustainability

Harvested from a renewable resource, Southern pine, Perennial Wood is milled and processed in the United States, greatly reducing the environmental impact from eliminating shipping from offshore.With increased dimensional stability, Perennial Wood lasts longer and needs less frequent replacement than most unmodified wood, some hardwoods or composites, resulting in less material disposal over the long term. And because TruLast Technology leaves no toxic substances in the wood, manufacturers and consumers can be assured of the efficacy of Perennial Wood.

Source: Eastman Chemical Co.

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